These Cheesy Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes are super easy and made extra creamy and flavorful with the addition of gruyere cheese!
Are you team slow cooker or team crock pot?
It’s super annoying to me that one appliance can have two names. Is there a difference? I’m going with no. It’s like “soda” and “pop”, neither of which I can bring myself to let grace the lips of my children. My kids received something called Hogwash in their Halloween bags this year. It’s basically a purple drink with the worst name ever. Don’t get me started.
We’re days away from the biggest food holiday of the year. You undoubtedly have a lot of food to make and you’re wondering how you’re going to get it all done. Crock pot mashed potatoes to the rescue! This recipe will save you precious space on top of your stove and give you enough time to stuff your rolls with cranberries (do it!).
There are quite a few recipes floating around out there for slow cooker (crock pot?!) mashed potatoes, but what makes this one special is gruyere. Are you buying gruyere? It’s kind of like Swiss cheese and it pairs so perfectly with the creamy potatoes. I usually find it in the fancy cheese section at any grocery store, and this time I was pleased to find a pre-shredded bag at Aldi’s!
I first made these cheesy crock pot mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. It was a total life saver. Even if you make them way too far in advance (which I totally did) you can keep them warm in the crockpot (crock pot?!) until its time to eat without them doing that weird cemented mashed potato thing. Also if you get them all mashed up with the cheese and keep them warm in the crock pot they might get too hot and end up cooking into little crunchy bits along the sides. Its not the worst thing in the world (it might actually be the best).
I like to use red potatoes because they get super creamy. I also like to leave a little bit of the skin on for texture, but if you’re not into it go ahead and peel it all off. Really it’s your dinner and you can do what you want. If buttery, cheesy, creamy mashed potatoes are just too boring for you, here are a few ways to customize this recipe!
- Stir in caramelized onions at the end
- Use sweet potatoes or yams instead of red potatoes
- Stir in 1-2 heads of roasted garlic at the end (that’s what I did!)
- Use feta, cheddar, or another favorite cheese instead of gruyere
- Top with freshly chopped chives
- Stir in crumbled bacon or vegetarian bacon bits
- Use vegan butter, almond milk, and skip the cheese for a vegan version
- Grate your own cheese to make sure it’s gluten-free
Be sure to let me know by tagging #theliveinkitchen on Facebook or Instagram if you make all my slow cooker crock pot crockpot dreams come true this Thanksgiving and serve these cheesy crock pot mashed potatoes! Crockpot jackpot.
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These Cheesy Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes are the easiest, cheesiest mashed potatoes ever!
- 5-6 medium sized red potatoes roughly peeled and cubed
- 1 cup water or vegetable stock
- 6 Tablespoons butter divided
- 1/3-1/2 cup milk
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
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Spray the inside of a small crock pot with cooking spray. Place potatoes in the crockpot, then top with water and four tablespoons of butter, cut into small pieces. Cover and cook, undisturbed, on high for 3-4 hours.
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Remove the cover from the crock pot and mash the potatoes with a fork or potato masher. Stir in milk until it reaches the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Keep stirring and mashing and stirring until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are relatively smooth. Serve immediately or, if you crock pot has a warm setting, cover and set to warm until ready to serve. If keeping in the crock pot for more than half an hour, stir occasionally.
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